1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sun visor system for an automotive vehicle.
2. Disclosure Information
Currently known sun visor systems for automotive vehicles generally include a pair of sun visors mounted to the vehicle""s windshield header, for rotation about an axis extending generally transversely of the vehicle. Unfortunately, such visor systems do not include a structure capable of blocking the sun in the areas of the windshield generally adjacent the rearview mirror.
The packaging of an auxiliary sun visor system presents a challenge insofar as the auxiliary visor system must be deployable in connection with the usual primary visors. U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,139 discloses a retractable sun visor with variable shading for an automobile, with the visor being contained in a housing embedded in the roof of the vehicle. The visor of the ""139 patent does not, however, function to fill the gap between the conventional sun visor and the rearview mirror, so as to provide an unbroken barrier to glare for the benefit of the vehicle""s driver.
According to the present invention, a sun visor system for a vision unit of an automotive vehicle includes a sliding carrier visor having a stowed position within a pocket formed as a portion of a headliner, and a deployed position running laterally along a portion of a vision unit between a rear view mirror and the headliner. The sun visor system further includes a plurality of laterally extending insert visors, with each insert visor having a stowed position within said carrier visor and a deployed position extending laterally from said carrier visor.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cvision unitxe2x80x9d means either an automotive windshield or an automotive backlite, or an automotive side window, it being understood that such glazing could either be fixed or movable.
A sun visor system according to the present invention may further comprise at least one primary sun visor mounted to a vehicle headliner for rotation about an axis extending transversely of the vehicle.
A carrier visor according to the present invention may comprise a plastic housing, with the insert visors comprising plastic plates formed from such material as polycarbonate plastic or other non-metallic or metallic or composite materials.
The carrier visor is housed within a pocket comprising a space extending rearward of the vision unit between a roof skin and a headliner panel. The pocket may comprise a molded plastic unit mounted to a roof skin of the vehicle inboard of the vision unit.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of deploying a sun visor system for a vision unit of an automotive vehicle includes the steps of slidably moving a carrier visor from a stowed position within a headliner to a deployed position in which the carrier visor extends laterally along a portion of the vision unit, and slidably moving a plurality of insert visors from stowed positions within the carrier visor to deployed positions in which the insert visors extend along the vision unit laterally from the carrier visor. Finally, a third step according to the present method involves rotatably moving at least one primary sun visor from a stowed position which the primary sun visor abuts the headliner to a deployed position which the primary visor abuts the vision unit.
It is an advantage of the present invention that the inventive supplemental sun visor system provides a barrier to ingress of solar glare from a portion of a vision unit such as a windshield which is not covered by a primary visor system.
It is an advantage of the present invention that the present supplemental sun visor system may be used alone to block glare without the need for using a primary sun visor.
It is a further advantage of the present invention that the present supplemental sun visor system may be housed in the headliner and is therefore unobtrusive when in a stowed position.
Other advantages, as well as features and objects of the present invention, will become apparent to the reader of this specification.